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Oceansize were an English rock band from
Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The ...
, formed in 1998. The band consisted of Mike Vennart (vocals, guitar), Steve Durose (guitar, backing vocals), Richard "Gambler" Ingram (guitar, keyboards), Mark Heron (drums) and Jon Ellis (bass guitar) for the majority of its career, with Steve Hodson replacing Ellis on bass guitar in 2006. The band released four studio albums, in addition to a number of minor EPs and singles, displaying a wide array of influences from several genres including
post-rock Post-rock is a form of experimental rock characterized by a focus on exploring textures and timbre over traditional rock song structures, chords, or riffs. Post-rock artists are often instrumental, typically combining rock instrumentation w ...
, math rock,
psychedelic rock Psychedelic rock is a rock music genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound effects and recording te ...
, and
space rock Space rock is a music genre characterized by loose and lengthy song structures centered on instrumental textures that typically produce a hypnotic, otherworldly sound. It may feature distorted and reverberation-laden guitars, minimal drummin ...
. Following a twelve-year career, Oceansize announced their split in February 2011, with the members moving on to different projects.


History


Formation and early years (1998–2000)

The band members met each other while attending music college in Salford, where the various members performed in a range of different musical acts very stylistically different from the band they would go on to create. " he bands werepretty terrible," said Mike Vennart. "We were in a grunge band. When I met Steve I asked him to be the new guitarist. I wanted to be experimental and unusual and still write pop songs. We were terrible at it. We didn't go anywhere for a while. When we got a new rhythm section, we re-thought what we were doing and got better. We had more vision. Although we don't all like the same music and have different tastes, we can see clearly where our music needs the most work." The band formed after attending a
Mogwai Mogwai () are a Scottish post-rock band, formed in 1995 in Glasgow. The band consists of Stuart Braithwaite (guitar, vocals), Barry Burns (guitar, piano, synthesizer, vocals), Dominic Aitchison (bass guitar), and Martin Bulloch (drums). Mog ...
concert during their final year at University. Though known as a Manchester band, Vennart, Gambler and Ellis are originally from
Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
, DuRose from
Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the We ...
, and Mark Heron is Scottish. Steven Hodson, who joined the band later, is the only member of Oceansize to hail from the Manchester area. The band subsequently named themselves after
Jane's Addiction Jane's Addiction is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1985. The band consists of vocalist Perry Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro, drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Eric Avery. Jane's Addiction was one of the first bands fr ...
song, "Ocean Size". According to guitarist Gambler, the band's then-bassist Jon Ellis came up with the name: "I think, at the time, he was thinking what we would sound like. Jane's '' Nothing's Shocking'' album, which has the track "Ocean Size" on it, was definitely a big influence."


First EPs and ''Effloresce'' (2000–2005)

Over the next few years, Oceansize would release two self-released EPs ''
Amputee Amputation is the removal of a limb by trauma, medical illness, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on indiv ...
'' and '' A Very Still Movement''. This in turn led to interest from Beggars Banquet Records, who signed the band in 2000. The band's first release on the label was the ''
Relapse In internal medicine, relapse or recidivism is a recurrence of a past (typically medical) condition. For example, multiple sclerosis and malaria often exhibit peaks of activity and sometimes very long periods of dormancy, followed by relapse or ...
'' EP titled after a very early composition that had been through many different reworkings. Oceansize's debut album '' Effloresce'' was released on 29 September 2003 on
Beggars Banquet ''Beggars Banquet'' is the 7th British and 9th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 6 December 1968 by Decca Records in the United Kingdom and London Records in the United States. It was the first Ro ...
. The album spawned the singles "Catalyst", "One Day All This Could Be Yours" and "Remember Where You Are", each of which featured a music video. The album garnered considerable critical acclaim, with music critic Ben Hogwood stating that: "with their broad harmonic language and fluctuating rhythms it's difficult to give an alternative to Oceansize, which is always a good sign. If pushed I would say they've taken a good liking to '70s rock but taken on board the works of bands such as
Muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in ...
and
The Cooper Temple Clause The Cooper Temple Clause was an English alternative rock band, formed in Wokingham, Berkshire in 1998. The band released three albums before announcing their split on 24 April 2007, following the departure of Daniel Fisher. After signing a rec ...
, along with the more expansive end of Seattle grunge music.".


''Everyone Into Position'' and line-up change (2005–2007)

Two years later, the band released their second album, '' Everyone Into Position'' on 19 September 2005. The album track "Meredith" was featured on the popular television drama The O.C., and one of the album's singles, "Music For A Nurse", became the soundtrack to an Orange advertising campaign entitled ''Fish'' during summer 2006. "Music For A Nurse" was also featured in the motion picture ''The Invisible'' (2007), and both "Music For A Nurse" and "Meredith" have also been used in the BBC drama series '' Waterloo Road''. On the writing process for the record Vennart said "The writing process itself was interesting, we’d bought a computer and some mics and were making decent demos on our own, much to the delight of our record company. We started writing ‘onscreen’ for the first time ever. Songs like ‘Heaven Alive’ and ‘Meredith’ were pieced together. Steve worked up a 4-track demo for what became ‘Dirty Sweet Smell Of The Summer’. I brought in the chords for parts of ‘Charm Offensive’ and we designed it from scratch as the opening song. The whole album was, from my point of view, designed as the ideal festival headline set. We all went to Glastonbury every year and had some super-drugged up experience watching Radiohead or The Flaming Lips or Mogwai or Cardiacs or whoever. We, or rather i, wanted something that would work on that level. Yeah i know; i was smoking a lot of weed back then." Oceansize had mixed views on the album as a whole. Despite the band's view on the record, critics and fans generally praised the release. The lukewarm review the album received from
Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...
was the one that seemed to be the most consistent with the band's own thoughts on it. The review singled out the album's more progressive tracks such as "You Can't Keep a Bad Man Down" and "Ornament/The Last Wrongs" for praise while criticizing songs such as "Heaven Alive" for sticking too closely to alt rock conventions that the reviewer ultimately felt was holding the band back. Despite this, Mike Vennart has stated frequently that ''Everyone Into Position'' is his favourite Oceansize album. Following the release of '' Everyone Into Position'', Oceansize subsequently left
Beggars Banquet ''Beggars Banquet'' is the 7th British and 9th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 6 December 1968 by Decca Records in the United Kingdom and London Records in the United States. It was the first Ro ...
. The band sought a new record deal that would better support the band in terms of promotion and financial backing for international touring. Mike Vennart implied in a recent interview that the record deal was contingent on the band writing two tracks "on order" for the company. These mp3s were released on the band's Myspace page around Christmas 2006 as a band-described gift to the fans. The two songs were "Red Rag to a Bear" and "Siberian Bullshit". In the posting of these mp3s, Vennart described these tracks as "warts an' all," and suggested that they would not show up on the new album. On moving to new label,
Superball Music Superball Music is a German independent record label, launched on 1 October 2007. Superball Myspace page states that Superball have attracted significant attention for bringing out Oceansize's third album '' Frames'', which was a commercial s ...
, Vennart described the move as a chance for the band to move forward: "we reached a point when we'd gone as far as we could ith Beggars Banquet We needed a new home and these guys offered it to us on a plate. We're the only band on the label at the moment, so they can't do enough for us." ''Everyone Into Position'' marked the final appearance of bassist Jon Ellis. On 4 December 2005, the band issued a press release, stating that Ellis was leaving the band, but would still contribute musically. On 16 January 2006 frontman Mike Vennart issued a short post on an Oceansize messageboard announcing Ellis' replacement, Steve Hodson – a member of the Oceansize side-project Kong and also the drummer in Capulet.


''Frames'' and ''Home & Minor'' (2007–2009)

The band's third album, '' Frames'', was released on 1 October 2007 on
Superball Music Superball Music is a German independent record label, launched on 1 October 2007. Superball Myspace page states that Superball have attracted significant attention for bringing out Oceansize's third album '' Frames'', which was a commercial s ...
. Artwork for the album was provided by Robin Finck of
Nine Inch Nails Nine Inch Nails, commonly abbreviated as NIN and stylized as NIИ, is an American industrial rock band formed in Cleveland in 1988. Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Trent Reznor was the only permanent member of the band ...
and
Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1985. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band comprised vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff ...
. Originally entitled ''The Frame'', the band elected to alter the name slightly after an incidental suggestion; Vennart explained that "one of our friends, who's in Future of the Left, said 'I love the title... ''Frames'', isn't it?' We just thought, 'well it wasn't, but that's a lot better. It's an angular title, it evokes strength and structure and it's quite cinematic." The album was trailed as featuring "a lot of songs about grudges and negative energy", with the song "Commemorative 9/11 T-Shirt", inspired by a gift to Vennart by band
Cardiacs Cardiacs are an English rock band formed in Kingston upon Thames by Tim Smith (lead guitar and vocals) and his brother Jim (bass, backing vocals) in 1977 under the name Cardiac Arrest. The band's sound fused circus, baroque pop and medieval m ...
, which includes a time signature of "11/8 or 9/8, so when we were naming the song it was like 'it's in 11, it's in 9, it's got to be 9/11". In May and June 2009, Oceansize supported Sydney band Cog on a national tour of
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...
, along with other support act Calling All Cars, playing a string of dates which included shows in capital cities
Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mounta ...
,
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...
,
Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
&
Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
. Of the tour, Mike Vennart spoke of the excitement, saying "from the moment (the tour) was mentioned, I was just hammering our manager, going 'make it happen!'" On the 1 August 2009, the band played the Sonisphere festival at Knebworth, joining
Linkin Park Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. The band's current lineup comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Mike Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave Farrell, DJ/turntablist Joe Hahn and drumm ...
,
Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
,
Nine Inch Nails Nine Inch Nails, commonly abbreviated as NIN and stylized as NIИ, is an American industrial rock band formed in Cleveland in 1988. Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Trent Reznor was the only permanent member of the band ...
,
Alice in Chains Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AIC) is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1987 by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney, who later recruited bassist Mike Starr and lead vocalist Layne ...
and more for the weekend festival. On the 21 August 2009, Oceansize supported
Biffy Clyro Biffy Clyro are a Scottish rock band that formed in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, composed of Simon Neil (guitar, lead vocals), James Johnston (bass, vocals), and Ben Johnston (drums, vocals). Currently signed to 14th Floor Records, they have r ...
at the
Edinburgh Corn Exchange The Edinburgh Corn Exchange is a conference, banqueting, wedding, sports and live music venue in the Chesser suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland. The maximum dinner capacity is 1,000 guests and for concerts 3,000 spectators. History The building was ...
and the reformed
Faith No More Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1979. Before settling on the current name in July 1983, the band performed under the names Sharp Young Men and later Faith No Man. Bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist ...
on the 25th The band released a live
box set A box set or (its original name) boxed set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists and bands ...
in September 2009, entitled ''Feed to Feed''. The release is limited to 5000 copies. The live recordings are taken from a series of shows the band performed on three consecutive nights at the Roadhouse in Manchester. The band played each of their three studio albums from start to finish, one album each night, including related b-sides. The boxset contains three DVDs and four CDs. A new EP, entitled '' Home and Minor'', was released in October 2009. On the EP, Vennart has explained that the band have adopted a particular stylistic approach on the record.


''Self Preserved While the Bodies Float Up'' (2009–2010)

The band started working on their fourth (and ultimately final) album, '' Self Preserved While the Bodies Float Up'' in fall 2009. In January 2010, the band embarked upon a UK tour, showcasing new material. According to Mike Vennart's
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, the recording of the album was completed on 17 April, with Vennart stating "Recording is complete! Album 4 is go! It's all on
Chris Sheldon Chris Sheldon (born 25 September 1962) is an English record producer, particularly of rock music based in London, England. He has produced or mixed records for the Foo Fighters, Garbage, Big Country, Feeder, Therapy?, Biffy Clyro, Oceansize, ...
now". Mastering was completed at
Abbey Road Studios Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music ...
on 18 May 2010 by Sean Magee. On 22 July 2010, Oceansize posted one of the album's songs, "SuperImposer", on their Superball website, and made it available for download via Twitter and Facebook. '' Self Preserved While the Bodies Float Up'' was released on 6 September 2010. The album showcased a heavier side to the band, who stated that it probably was their heaviest studio album to date. However, Vennart claimed that the album still had the diversity found on other Oceansize albums. The band subsequently toured to promote the release.


Band break-up

On 25 February 2011, Oceansize announced via the band's Twitter and Facebook pages that they had split up. No explanations were provided. In an interview a year later in 2012, Vennart commented "It's tricky. I'd kind of like to tell the story but it's pretty dramatic. It would alter the sound of the records that we spent ages dreaming up, and to some people it might sound all a little petty. But it was so fucking ugly. Suffice to say it was a recurring problem that grew and grew and it couldn't be ignored or tolerated anymore."Introducing British Theatre
– article by Josh Hall in ''The Line of Best Fit'', 19 March 2012
On 31 May 2013 Vennart finally put an end to most speculation via a post on Twitter, stating that after a disastrous band performance at a concert in Warsaw on 23 October 2010, Gambler had quit Oceansize and that this had broken up the band. In reply to a fan who tweeted a video of the performance, in which Mark Heron's drumming seems considerably affected, Vennart commented: "Stay off them drugs, kids". While Vennart refused to blame any individuals in particular, he had previously said (in a May 2012 interview with the music blog ''Undersong'') that persistent drug abuse by at least one band member had undermined Oceansize and led to the circumstances surrounding the split: "Whilst Oceansize had no delusions of grandeur, there were those in the band that just weren't up to the job. Put it like this, when you watch
Biffy Clyro Biffy Clyro are a Scottish rock band that formed in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, composed of Simon Neil (guitar, lead vocals), James Johnston (bass, vocals), and Ben Johnston (drums, vocals). Currently signed to 14th Floor Records, they have r ...
live you can rest assured that they are pretty much stone-cold sober. They're certainly not drunk, stoned, on downers or tripping their tits off ... They're easy to play for cos they know how to play the songs and they play them correctly every single night. There's an inherent trust there. There's also a respect for their audience – they understand that their fans may have travelled miles, saved up money for tickets, planned their life around a show. It's this respect for each other and their audience that has stood Biffy in good stead and it has helped take them to the top. That mindset has to be in place before you even consider a setlist. This respect and these qualities were, I'm sad to say, not consistent in the ranks of Oceansize. Even if the opportunity had ever presented itself, Oceansize simply was not allowed to move forward. Whenever we had to step up to the challenge, the same fucking turd was on the doorstep." While Vennart has pointed to Heron's Warsaw performance as the primary impetus, Gambler also pointed to the end of a long-term relationship as a factor in his decision to quit the band. Gambler does not rule out a reunion in the future, though he does not believe it will happen any time soon. Vennart stated on Twitter in 2020 about the prospect of a reunion: "With every passing year, the inclination fades, the proposed fee grows. It'll never be enough." He also stated "It's been a very long time. Believe it or not, I'm a romantic kind of guy and I love the idea of a reunion show just like you do. But fuck, it would be tough."


Post-Oceansize

Following the breakup of Oceansize, various members went on to other work or continued with side projects which they had begun prior to the split. Gambler (under his real name of Richard A. Ingram) had already begun a solo career in parallel to Oceansize, while Steve Hodson and Mark Heron continued with Kong (and Hodson continued his ongoing solo work as Mild Eyes). In 2011, both Mike Vennart and Steve Durose took on work as touring guitarists for other bands – Vennart with
Biffy Clyro Biffy Clyro are a Scottish rock band that formed in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, composed of Simon Neil (guitar, lead vocals), James Johnston (bass, vocals), and Ben Johnston (drums, vocals). Currently signed to 14th Floor Records, they have r ...
and Durose with
Amplifier An amplifier, electronic amplifier or (informally) amp is an electronic device that can increase the magnitude of a signal (a time-varying voltage or current). It may increase the power significantly, or its main effect may be to boost t ...
. Durose joined Amplifier full-time in 2011, playing on the albums ''Echo Street'' (2013), ''Mystoria'' (2014), and ''Trippin' with Dr. Faustus'' (2017). Further post-Oceansize projects emerged quickly after the breakup. Steve Hodson worked with the band Chandelier Swing while Mark Heron worked with improv band Shamefaced and released new music under his Kong alias of "Krem". Mike Vennart and Gambler reunited in the duo British Theatre, who have since released two EPs, ''EP'' (2012) and ''Dyed In the Wool Ghost'' (2012), and a full-length album, ''Mastery'' (2016). Vennart has released three solo albums, ''The Demon Joke'' (2015), ''To Cure a Blizzard Upon a Plastic Sea'' (2018) and ''In the Dead, Dead Wood'' (2020).


Style, influences and creative process

Associates of UK groups such as
Amplifier An amplifier, electronic amplifier or (informally) amp is an electronic device that can increase the magnitude of a signal (a time-varying voltage or current). It may increase the power significantly, or its main effect may be to boost t ...
,
Biffy Clyro Biffy Clyro are a Scottish rock band that formed in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, composed of Simon Neil (guitar, lead vocals), James Johnston (bass, vocals), and Ben Johnston (drums, vocals). Currently signed to 14th Floor Records, they have r ...
and Aereogramme, earlier in their career, Oceansize were also frequently grouped in with the
space rock Space rock is a music genre characterized by loose and lengthy song structures centered on instrumental textures that typically produce a hypnotic, otherworldly sound. It may feature distorted and reverberation-laden guitars, minimal drummin ...
movement that had gained some underground popularity at the time - essentially heavy alternative rock with
shoegaze Shoegaze (originally called shoegazing and sometimes conflated with "dream pop") is a subgenre of indie and alternative rock characterized by its ethereal mixture of obscured vocals, guitar distortion and effects, feedback, and overwhelming vol ...
leanings. One of the band's earliest major tours was with Cave In from Massachusetts, U.S., who they were frequently compared to especially in their earlier years. Oceansize often described their music as "progressive death indie". Durose said of the term, "I like that. It's pretty cool. Mike came up with that, and it's better than
new prog Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. Initi ...
." Oceansize described eclectic sources of inspiration. Gambler has attested that everyone in the band had "such diverse influences. I think it would be a list a mile long. The obvious ones, especially for me, would be Radiohead, Mogwai, Aphex Twin, Nine Inch Nails and Tool; I think I could probably go on all day. I mean if you looked at our record collection you probably wouldn't think it." An often-stated influence is
Cardiacs Cardiacs are an English rock band formed in Kingston upon Thames by Tim Smith (lead guitar and vocals) and his brother Jim (bass, backing vocals) in 1977 under the name Cardiac Arrest. The band's sound fused circus, baroque pop and medieval m ...
, whose leader
Tim Smith Tim, Timothy or Timmy Smith may refer to: Musicians *T. V. Smith (born 1956), British singer and songwriter *Tim Smith (Cardiacs) (1961–2020), English singer-songwriter and frontman of Cardiacs * Timmy Trumpet (born 1982), Australian DJ and prod ...
produced the ''
Relapse In internal medicine, relapse or recidivism is a recurrence of a past (typically medical) condition. For example, multiple sclerosis and malaria often exhibit peaks of activity and sometimes very long periods of dormancy, followed by relapse or ...
'' EP in 2002. Vennart has said of the band, "It wasn’t until I saw Cardiacs three times that I realised they are the greatest band of them all. I don’t say that lightly. There’s simply no-one like them ..once you understand them, and have felt them in your heart, you will struggle to find anything that will ever come so close for the rest of your life." In 2002, Oceansize supported Cardiacs at the
London Astoria The London Astoria was a music venue at 157 Charing Cross Road, in London, England. Originally a warehouse during the 1920s, the building became a cinema and ballroom. It was converted for use as a theatre in the 1970s. After further developme ...
, and came on stage during Cardiacs' set to cover their song "Eat It Up Worms Hero". In 2010, Oceansize contributed a cover of "Fear" by Tim Smith's Spratleys Rats (formerly Spratleys Japs) to the tribute album '' Leader of the Starry Skies: A Tribute to Tim Smith, Songbook 1''. The album was released to raise funds for Smith's ongoing care and recovery after a heart attack in 2008. Another influence is
Black Sabbath Black Sabbath were an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy metal music. The band helped def ...
, of whom Vennart said: "It’s impossible to quantify what this band means to me. I can literally bring myself to tears imagining what would’ve become of me had they never existed. They were my first musical obsession from age 8, and they haven’t left me throughout this whole topsy turvy freakshow of a life." The title of the Oceansize song "I/B/O/W" is an abbreviation of the surnames of each member of Black Sabbath's original lineup ( Tony Iommi/ Geezer Butler/
Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adop ...
/ Bill Ward). Oceansize often stated that the bulk of their writing was the product of fruitful
jam session A jam session is a relatively informal musical event, process, or activity where musicians, typically instrumentalists, play improvised solos and vamp over tunes, drones, songs, and chord progressions. To "jam" is to improvise music without ...
s, with Steve Durose saying after the release of ''Effloresce'' that "our sound has just evolved really, but right from the first rehearsal, we kind of had it in the bag. We were on mushrooms and just jammed for ages, and then we listened back to the tapes. About three songs from Effloresce were born in that one rehearsal, and we just realized we had something special happening. Everything comes from jams, though. That's the way we write." In regards to structure and time signature, Durose cites drummer Mark Heron as a key collaborator; "Mark's very into strange beats, so what will start off as a very simple idea, once it's been through the Oceansize washing machine will come out as something sounding quite bizarre at the other end." Gambler has advocated a 'no strings' approach with the creative process, saying that "I think we have been tied into the whole progressive thing for quite a bit now. When we formed the band we didn't think we were going to be this or that sort of band. We're forward thinking as far as our music is concerned".


Legacy

Since their breakup, Oceansize have been cited as an influence by a wide variety of artists. Russian band iamthemorning took their name from the Oceansize song "I Am the Morning". The title of 2018 album ''Effloresce'' by American band Covet was an homage to the album of the same name by Oceansize. Other bands and artists who have cited them as an influence include Charlie Barnes, Rose Kemp, The Longcut,
The Pineapple Thief The Pineapple Thief are a British progressive rock band, started by Bruce Soord in 1999 in Somerset, England. History Early years Founder Bruce Soord started The Pineapple Thief as an outlet for his music back in 1999. Soord released the ...
,
Rosetta Rosetta or Rashid (; ar, رشيد ' ; french: Rosette  ; cop, ϯⲣⲁϣⲓⲧ ''ti-Rashit'', Ancient Greek: Βολβιτίνη ''Bolbitinē'') is a port city of the Nile Delta, east of Alexandria, in Egypt's Beheira governorate. The R ...
, Black Peaks, and Alpha Male Tea Party. Among the artists who have expressed admiration for their work are Steven Wilson of
Porcupine Tree Porcupine Tree are an English rock band formed by musician Steven Wilson in 1987. During an initial career spanning more than twenty years, they earned critical acclaim from critics and fellow musicians, developed a cult following, and became ...
, who ranked ''Everyone Into Position'' and ''Frames'' as two of his favourite albums of the 2000s, and
Mike Portnoy Michael Stephen Portnoy (born April 20, 1967) is an American musician who is primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. In September 2010, Portnoy announced his departure ...
of
Dream Theater Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out o ...
, calling them "probably the best
and or AND may refer to: Logic, grammar, and computing * Conjunction (grammar), connecting two words, phrases, or clauses * Logical conjunction in mathematical logic, notated as "∧", "⋅", "&", or simple juxtaposition * Bitwise AND, a boolea ...
in the alternative-prog vein".


Side projects and collaborations

Oceansize shared camaraderie with the fellow Mancunian band
Amplifier An amplifier, electronic amplifier or (informally) amp is an electronic device that can increase the magnitude of a signal (a time-varying voltage or current). It may increase the power significantly, or its main effect may be to boost t ...
, who referred to Oceansize as "Amplifier's brothers-in-amps". Mike Vennart and Steve Durose supplied backing vocals on two tracks on Amplifier's self-titled debut album. Vennart also provided backing vocals for their 2010 album '' The Octopus''. Amplifier's front-man Sel Balamir produced and mixed the Oceansize EP '' A Very Still Movement'', also contributing guitar to the song "Sizeofanocean". Balamir also co-mixed the ''
Relapse In internal medicine, relapse or recidivism is a recurrence of a past (typically medical) condition. For example, multiple sclerosis and malaria often exhibit peaks of activity and sometimes very long periods of dormancy, followed by relapse or ...
'' EP in 2002. Kong (consisting of Steven Hodson and Mark Heron) recorded their debut album ''Snake Magnet'' in the summer of 2007 at
The Works Recording Studio The Works Recording Studio was a recording studio located in Stockport, Greater Manchester, UK between 1998 and 2007. Built in a Victorian rectory it was originally an analogue studio used by unsigned bands and fading stars of Manchester' ...
in Bredbury (where Oceansize recorded Everyone Into Position). Kong signed with Los Angeles-based label White Drugs, home of The Bronx and released ''Snake Magnet'' in 2009, with two singles preceding the release (on Brew Records). Hodson later formed the band Rubbing with fellow Kong bandmate Jon-Lee Martin on guitar/vocals and Charlie Hartley (Then Thickens/Boy Genius) on drums, with Hodson on bass/vocals. Their debut EP, ''Vocal Harmony Trio'', was released on March 4 2022. Under his real name of Richard A. Ingram, Gambler released a solo album Consolamentum in May 2010 on a small Manchester label called WhiteBox. He has also sometimes played bass guitar with the post-punk band Pocketknife, and released a couple of CD-Rs independently consisting of solo piano music. In 2010, Mike Vennart joined long-time friends
Biffy Clyro Biffy Clyro are a Scottish rock band that formed in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, composed of Simon Neil (guitar, lead vocals), James Johnston (bass, vocals), and Ben Johnston (drums, vocals). Currently signed to 14th Floor Records, they have r ...
as the band's second guitarist on all live dates. He has continued to play as a Biffy Clyro touring musician and supplied additional guitar and vocals for their 2013 album '' Opposites''. Gambler also joined the Biffy Clyro live band in 2012. On May 7 2010, Steven Hodson filled in as bassist of Future of the Left as the short-term replacement for the recently departed Kelson Mathias. He later co-wrote their song "Dry Hate", which appeared on the ''Polymers Are Forever'' EP. In 2014 Hodson formed the band USA Nails with ex
Hawk Eyes Hawk Eyes are a rock band from Leeds, England. They formed in late 2004 and released their official debut album '' Modern Bodies'' on 1 November 2010 through Brew Records. History Early years (2004–2010) The band played a part in the Le ...
drummer Matt Reid, Gareth Thomas of Silent Front, Stuart Plant from Death Pedals and Daniel Holloway of Dead Arms. They have released four albums, ''Sonic Moist'' (2014), ''No Pleasure'' (2016), ''Shame Spiral'' (2017), and ''Character Stop'' (2020). On May 1, 2017, Hodson and his USA Nails bandmate Daniel Holloway launched the Sad Tapes label with the release of Dead Arms' ''4 Track Masters EP''. They said of the label: "SAD TAPES record and release music for those who prefer the quality of demos or live sessions. No fuss, no frills." Ex-bassist Jon Ellis is recording and producing tracks from underground Manchester band "The Marivaux". Durose has produced two albums by Charlie Barnes ( Bastille/
Amplifier An amplifier, electronic amplifier or (informally) amp is an electronic device that can increase the magnitude of a signal (a time-varying voltage or current). It may increase the power significantly, or its main effect may be to boost t ...
), ''More Stately Mansions'' (2015), and ''Oceanography'' (2018). Barnes described working with Durose as "a bona fide teenage dream" in the liner notes of ''Oceanography''. In 2021, Vennart and Durose contributed gang vocals to the KK's Priest album ''Sermons of the Sinner''.


Discography

;Studio albums *'' Effloresce'' (2003) *'' Everyone into Position'' (2005) *'' Frames'' (2007) *'' Self Preserved While the Bodies Float Up'' (2010) ;EPs * ''
Amputee Amputation is the removal of a limb by trauma, medical illness, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on indiv ...
'' (1999) * '' A Very Still Movement'' (2001) * ''
Relapse In internal medicine, relapse or recidivism is a recurrence of a past (typically medical) condition. For example, multiple sclerosis and malaria often exhibit peaks of activity and sometimes very long periods of dormancy, followed by relapse or ...
'' (2002) – UK No. 99 UK Indie No. 27 * '' Music for Nurses'' (2004) * '' Home & Minor'' (2009) ;Box Sets/Deluxe Editions * ''Frames'' Deluxe Edition (2008, includes ''Frames Live'' DVD recorded in Manchester in 2007 and other extras) * ''Feed to Feed'' (2009, recorded between October 16th and 18th, 2008 at the Roadhouse, Manchester (UK)) ;Singles * "Saturday Morning Breakfast Show" (1999) (7" Vinyl Only, includes ''Amputee'') * "One Day All This Could Be Yours" (2003) (CD/10" Vinyl, includes ''Breed Siamese'' and ''Massive Bereavement (Live)'', live track recorded at The Witchwood, Ashton-under-Lyne, 31/12/02) UK Indie No. 30 * "Catalyst" (2003) (Single/Maxi-Single/Vinyl/Download, some versions includes ''Breed Siamese'' or ''Women Who Love Men Who Love Drugs (Live)'', live track recorded at The Witchwood, Ashton-under-Lyne, 31st December 2002) UK No. 73 UK Indie No. 13 * "Remember Where You Are" (2003) (CD/7" Vinyl, includes ''I Haven't Been... ...The Claw For Ages'') UK No. 94 UK Indie No. 20 * "Heaven Alive" (2005) (CD/7" Vinyl, includes ''The Dirty Sweet Smell Of The Summer'' and/or ''I/B/O/W'') UK No. 78 * "New Pin" (2006) (CD/7" Vinyl, includes ''Superfluous To Requirements'' or ''Emp(irical) Error'') – UK Indie No. 20 * "
Walking in the Air "Walking in the Air" is a song written by Howard Blake for the 1982 animated film '' The Snowman'' based on Raymond Briggs's 1978 children's book of the same name. The song forms the centrepiece of ''The Snowman'', which has become a seasonal fa ...
" (
Cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song relea ...
) (2007) (Free Christmas Single, Web Only) * "SuperImposer" (2010) (7" Vinyl/Digital Download, includes ''Ransoms (RAi Reboot)'') ;B-Sides/Bonus Tracks * ''Ebb'' - 11:05 (from ''Amputee'') * ''A Very Still Movement'' – 3:26 (from ''A Very Still Movement'') * ''Sizeofanocean'' – 5:19 (from ''A Very Still Movement'') * ''Relapse'' - 10:14 (from ''Relapse'', later version of ''Ebb'') * ''Breed Siamese'' 7:04 (from ''Catalyst'' or ''One Day All This Could Be Yours'') * ''I Haven't Been... ...The Claw For Ages'' 5:48 (from ''Remember Where You Are'') * ''The Dirty Sweet Smell Of The Summer'' 6:47 (from ''Heaven Alive'') * ''I/B/O/W'' 4:31 (from ''Heaven Alive'') * ''Superfluous To Requirements'' 5:52 (from ''New Pin'') * ''Ransoms (RAi Reboot)'' 3:58 (from ''SuperImposer'') * ''Siberian Bullshit'', ''Red Rag To A Bear (demo)'' (''Frames'' demos released on bands' Myspace space) * ''Voorhees'' 11:10 (from ''Frames'' Digipak) * ''Intro'', ''Ketemine Van'', ''Scribble Pad'', ''Day Off'', ''Only Twin Strings'', and ''Savant Strings'' (from 'Frames Live' DVDAudio) * ''Ransoms (RAi Reboot)'' 3:58 (from ''SuperImposer'') * ''Cloak'' 3:39 (from ''Self Preserved While the Bodies Float Up'' special edition) * ''Massive Bereavement (Live)'' ecorded at The Witchwood, Ashton-under-Lyne, 31/12/02(from ''One Day All This Could Be Yours'') * ''Women Who Love Men Who Love Drugs (Live)'' ecorded live at The Witchwood, Ashton-under-Lyne, 31st December 2002)(from ''Catalyst'') ;Music Videos * "One Day All This Could Be Yours" (2003) * "Catalyst" (2003) * "Heaven Alive" (2005) * "New Pin" (2006) * "Legal Teens" (2009) * "SuperImposer" (2010) ;YouTube Live Performances (released on Mike Vennart's and the Oceansize Archive channels) * "Oceansize, Manchester Roadhouse 1999" (2020, includes never recorded 'Is She Still Dead?') * "Oceansize - Live at Middleton Civic Hall May 2002" * "Cardiacs (feat. Oceansize) Live At The London Astoria 2002" (2015, includes Oceansize performing Cardiacs' ''Eat It Up Worms Hero'') * "Oceansize - Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 27/03/2006" (2020) * "Oceansize - Saarbrucken Garage - 26th September 2008" (2020) * "Oceansize live at IndigO2 - 2008" (2020, recorded Oct 19, 2008 the night after the Feed to Feed performances, in support of Porcupine Tree) * "Oceansize - Final Show - Manchester 2010" (2020, Oceansize's final performance, at Manchester Academy 3 on November 15th 2010, audio from a bootleg) ; Myspace Frames Demos * "Siberian Bullshit" * "Red Rag To A Bear (demo)" ;Other appearances * "Fear" ( Tim Smith's Spratleys Rats cover) ('' Leader of the Starry Skies: A Tribute to Tim Smith, Songbook 1'') (2010) * "Fear" (as above) ('' Stoneage Dinosaurs / Fear'', split 7" single with Steven Wilson) (2011)


Members


Final line-up

* Mike Vennart – guitar, lead vocals (1998–2011) * Steve Durose – guitar, backing vocals (1998–2011) * Richard "Gambler" Ingram – guitar, keyboards (1998–2011) * Steven Hodson – bass, keyboards, guitar (2006–2011) * Mark Heron – drums (1998–2011)


Previous members

* Jon Ellis – bass, keyboards (1998–2005)


Timeline


References


External links


Stereokill: February 2010Radio Interview. Dec 2006
3SYN 90.7FM Melbourne,
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{{Authority control English alternative rock groups English progressive rock groups Musical groups from Manchester Musical groups established in 1998 Musical groups disestablished in 2011 English space rock musical groups Superball Music artists Beggars Banquet Records artists